Head over Heels, Heart over Mind
by Annabeth Patelle
Summary: Based off of This Vicious Game We Play by Exodus; Tony/Tim.
1. Chapter 1 Comfort

#01 – Comfort

"He never thought he would ever enjoy being called Probie, and maybe he still doesn't, but the first time he hears it after Tony's back and they're all stashing their stuff once more in their respective desks, it feels a little bit like home."

McGee looked once more at Tony's desk. It was cleared off, awaiting the arrival of the Senior Field Agent. Tim had arrived a couple of minutes early; he liked peace and quiet when he organized, and everyone knew that there was neither when Tony was around. Opening up a desk drawer, McGee started to file old paperwork. Absorbed in it, he didn't notice when Tony came to stand behind him.

"Hey, Probie." McGee hated that nickname, but now, and from Tony, it had a bit of a ring to it, Tim decided. Turning around, he said, "Hey, Tony. What are you doing here so early?"

Tony surprised him with a "I like it quiet when I clean. Besides, it meant being alone with you, getting a chance to explain..." McGee's breath caught and he almost couldn't hold back a whispered confession of love. Instead, he put on his best 'annoyed' face and merely looked at Tony, waiting patiently for him to continue. "Aw, to hell with it all. Tim, I missed you. So much, you couldn't even begin to guess. I thought of you every single day I was on that stinking ship. Timmy... I... I love you, Tim. I'm sorry, seriously, I am. I know you don't like me, and I'm sorry for telling you this, as well, but..."

McGee cut him off by putting his arms around Tony. A gentle, firm embrace, with all the love and passion in the world squeezed into it. "I missed you too, Tony. And... I'm not mad, Tony. Not mad at all. And you know why? Because... Because I love you, too." Tony raised his head lazily up, searching for the laughter in McGee's eyes, or the taunting, anything that would tell him that Tim was lying, but there was none. The words were sincere. McGee slowly reached down and lifter Tony's chin, carefully kissing him, gently, just a swift brush on the lips. Tony flinched, then settled into the kiss, tugging on McGee's lower lip, nibbling in a request for entry. Tim immediately complied, and soon their tongues were fighting for control, neither wanting to submit to the other, to show weakness, or, rather, regret. As they pulled apart, gasping for breath, Tony laughed subaudibly, his gruff voice almost making McGee faint with love for his fellow agent. "If I'd have known the merits of cleaning at night, Probie, I would definitely have done this sooner." And, right then, McGee decided that, for some strange reason, he didn't mind being called 'Probie', at least not by Tony.


	2. Chapter 2 Kiss

#2- Kiss

"Their first kiss isn't really a kiss, per say, more like a falling together onto a couch in a psychiatrist's office – and no, the irony is not lost on Tim – in which mouths happen to touch; but Tony doesn't pull back nearly as quick as he should, and Tim thinks that later they are less pretending it didn't happen and more just afraid to bring it back up."

The door to the psychiatrist's office opened and the doctor stepped out, barging into a rather strange scene. McGee and Tony were on the couch in the reception area. Tony was on top of McGee, wrestling for something that was out of his reach. In his struggle, Tony's lips, accidentally, perhaps, brushed McGee's, and his eyes flew open in surprise; however, Tony didn't pull back for a couple of seconds, maybe only from his shock, but the psychiatrist saw more to it. Tony's eyes were half-closed when he pulled away. Seeing the doctor, the two agents almost jumped to opposite sides of the couch. McGee's thoughts were racing. Did he really just KISS me? It was... good! But it was Tony! I can't be... falling... for Tony? Can I? Tony's thoughts mirrored that of his fellow agent.

Tony made his usual jokes to the psych, about how they didn't have to hide their love anymore and all that. But they lacked his usual teasing tone. He was more... testing the waters. McGee avoided his eyes, looking instead at his hands, when denying the remarks in his usual stuttering voice. After the interrogation, both stayed at the office and discretely requested an appointment.

At the office, they avoided each other. Neither would request the same assignment as the other, and they would try to be as far away as possible in any given situation. But after a week or so, it was more of a pensive, thoughtful silence than an akward one. And then came the dreaded moment; Tony and McGee were given orders to go get evidence from the basement. They akwardly made their way to the elevators, each thinking his own thoughts. Once inside, they stood in silence. As the elevator began the long ride down, Tony's hand, perhaps subconsciously, drifted to McGee's. Tim didn't pull back, but instead grasped Tony's and interlaced their fingers together. Tony just looked over at McGee.

"So you didn't mind it, either?" It was said so hopefully that McGee actually chuckled.

"Of course not, Tony." And before Tony could respond, McGee had leaned over, kissed him gently on the cheek, and, smiling that insanely adorable smile of his, turned away. A grin crept it's way up Tony's face as he reached up to touch his cheek with his free hand; the other, of course, was still holding McGee's.

Abby looked up from the elevator security footage and sighed lazily; the guards were right, this WAS better than television.


	3. Chapter 3 Potatoes

#05 – Potatoes

""You better stop looking so damn cute, Probie, or else you're going to have me saying things that'll have them forcing me to peel potatoes for a week," Tony jokes before McGee has the chance to turn off the live feed from MTAC to the USS Seahawk; McGee somehow manages to choke on air, but Gibbs just rolls his eyes and says "They don't do that anymore, DiNozzo," before turning it off himself."

McGee switched on the MTAC feed, nervously fidgeting. Gibbs stood by him, inwardly grinning; so flustered over an MTAC feed with his crush? He rolled his eyes as Tony came on the air, finally. His face serious but still happy from seeing his team, or at least his boss, he greeted Gibbs before seeing McGee at last. Grinning, his expression changed from bland to joyous as he said, "Hey Tim. Enjoying life on land?" McGee balked at the senior agent's use of his first name. He stuttered a "Hi, DiNozzo" back before turning to hide his blush.

"So, Boss, before you ask, yes, I did pull Sergeant Brown's files, and there is nothing in there that screams 'homicidal maniac'. Sorry, boss." Automatically, it was more a reflex than anything, McGee said, "Don't apologize. It's a sign of weakness." Tony chuckled as Gibbs rolled his eyes again. McGee was beginning to be wary of his boss's penchant for rolling his eyes. In any case, Gibbs and Tony continued talking for some time, and McGee busied himself with some tech stuff, occasionally sticking his tongue out at the computer when it refused to work. At one such moment, Tony's attention flickered to McGee and he said, "You better stop looking so damn cute, Probie, or else you're going to have me saying things that'll have them forcing me to peel potatoes for a week". McGee chokes on air and manages to look 10 shades of red at the same time, which Tony thought to be doubly adorable.

Gibbs just rolled his eyes and said, "They don't do that anymore, DiNozzo," before turning the MTAC feed off. Satellite time was satellite time, after all.

McGee stood in Tony's cabin. This was his first and last day aboard the USS Seahawk; their investigation was an open-and-close case. This was the first time in a long while that McGee found himself sad that it was so. He did get to spend some time with Tony, though. Sitting on his bed, they just had enough space to not die of oxygen starvation, and even then, their arms touched an uncomfortably large amount. McGee had almost gotten the nerve up to ask Tony about the MTAC situation when Tony spoke, hurriedly. He sounded so worried that McGee forgot about all else.

"McGee, is Ziva okay? I haven't heard from her in such a long while; I'm quite worried now." Tim cringed inwardly. How could he have assumed that it was anything other than playful banter in the MTAC room? Of course Tony liked Ziva. They were meant for each other, weren't they?

"Yeah, she's doing fine." His answer was short and surprisingly moody, so Tony turned on him. An idea seemed to light up his face.

"Probie... Could you be... jealous, perhaps?" His eyes were full of mischievous thoughtfulness. McGee, however, got the feeling that he was not joking this time and decided to answer truthfully; to hell with everything.

"Yeah, Tony, I am jealous. You know why? Because you're the most awesome guy I've ever met, and you only have eyes for her. Because you tease me every single day and for some reason I never get mad. Because... Tony, merde, I'm in love with you. And, and you don't even like me."

Tony leaned over and gently pressed his lips to McGee's cheek in a chaste kiss. "I love you, too, Tim."

Gibbs's voice echoed across the room. "That'll get you a month of peeling potatoes, DiNozzo." And before the agents had even turned around, Gibbs was gone. Turning the corner, Gibbs chuckled and shook his head in a purely-Gibbs way. "Abby, did you get that whole thing?" Back in her lab, Abby triumphantly smiled. "Of course, Gibbs!"


	4. Chapter 4 Rain

#06 – Rain

"Tony finds more than a few stupid excuses to send the Probie out into the poor weather, because the only thing more adorable than a rain soaked McGee is an angry, rain soaked McGee."

Tony turned around to look at McGee. A flash of mischief played in his eyes. Using all of his Senior-Agent power, he commanded, "Go greet out witness and prime suspect at the front gate." McGee practically growled, but stopped himself in the nick of time. Grudgingly, he half-stomped to the elevator. Tony smiled to himself.

An hour later, McGee was staring Tony down with a look of extreme distaste. The 'suspect' that Tony had sent him to find was in the building for the past 5 hours, apparently. Tony seemed to know nothing about that, however. McGee was now dripping wet, and very angry-looking as well. The rain had flattened out his hair, and it framed his face beautifully, Tony thought. The suit that was a bit too big on McGee now clung to him in a very suggestive manner. DiNozzo sighed, strangely sad, thinking his own thoughts even as his gorgeous fellow agent stared at him. McGee lifted an eyebrow, his face softening visibly. "Tony, what's wrong?" DiNozzo snapped out of his trance and waved McGee away. "Nothing, McGeek. Now, what do you have on the case?"

The rest of the day, Tony was in an unusually disoriented mood. Gibbs pulled him aside, looking Tony in the eye as he spoke, softly, gently. "Tony... what's wrong?" At first, Tony looked as if he was about to shrug off the question, but after a moment, he broke down and started talking, spilling all of his problems. "My father. He sent me... He sent me a threat. Not a letter, a threat; he needs a kidney, and I'm the only compatible person; the only thing I'm good for is spare parts, apparently. So he said that if I didn't show up to the Bethesda hospital in two days, he would..." Tony sobbed, falling into Gibbs's outstretched arms. Gibbs whispered 'bastard' to himself as he stroked Tony's hair, comforting the younger agent. "Go home, Tony. You don't need to deal with this now. Wait," he stopped Tony as he walked away. "Get McGee; go back to his place. We don't need your dad finding you before we can figure this out legally." McGee ducked back into the hallway where he was hiding, not bothering to contain the grin that had spread on his face. Interestingly, Tony's expression matched McGee's perfectly as he practically skipped back to his desk to pick his stuff up. Calling to McGee, who was seated back at his desk, he explained what McGee already knew. Ziva looked knowingly at the two agents as they made their way to the elevators, chuckling to herself.

Tony sat on McGee's couch as the agent made him cocoa. "Sorry, Tony, I didn't have any coffee," McGee said apologetically as he gave Tony the warm mug. Tony chuckled and turned to McGee. "Thanks, Probie."

"Tony, I know about your dad." The words popped out of McGee's mouth before he could stop them. He figured the best thing was to continue at his further peril. "I was... eavesdropping. I'm sorry, Tony. I... If you want to talk about it, I mean... I'm here, Tony." McGee leaned down, gently touching his lips to Tony's forehead. A slow smile spread across his face as he gently teased McGee. "Tim-my... You liiiike me." A sincere grin graced his face, as it did McGee's.

The next morning, Tony got news that his father had mysteriously 'disappeared'. When he questioned Gibbs, the boss didn't have a clue what had happened. Instead, he winked at McGee, who had come up to Tony and put his arms around the other agent's waist, kissing him gently on he chin. Tony pulled him in tighter, wrapping his own arms around McGee's, happier than he had ever been before.


	5. Chapter 5 Heartbreak

#08 – Happiness

"He thought happiness was what he had with Jeanne, but he realizes, sitting with McGee who's trying to help him forget and talking about this and that and 'do you remember when?' that happiness like what he had with Jeanne was the kind that burns swift and hot and hurts like hell when it's over; not like what McGee is offering – smoldering and deep and so ingrained that if he ever lost it, lost this, that would be something he could never forget."

Tony was sitting hunched over at his desk. He was always the last to leave, but tonight he was a bit out of it. He didn't even notice as Ziva said goodnight and replied to her only out of instinct, his brain not even processing it. Gibbs came and went, not even bothering to say bye once he saw the mood that Tony was in. Only McGee stayed, worried about Tony, wanting to help, not knowing what to say and subsequently sitting in silence, mentally reaching out to the other agent. Getting up the courage over the course of several hours, he finally went to sit beside Tony. Pulling up a chair, he started speaking.

"Tony... do you want to talk to me?"

Tony looked at McGee, his eyes saying what he himself could not bear to say. McGee, being the insecure soul that he was, misinterpreted it, standing up with a hurried "Oh. Okay then. I'll go." Tony grabbed him by the hand an pulled him close, mumbling, "Sit down, McGee."

beginning more carefully now, McGee tried again. "Do you remember when Kate had that horrible toothache and wanted the number of your dentist, the one you were always going to instead of work?"

Tony grinned, obviously remembering. "Yeah, that was funny. I remember giving her my grocer's number instead. If I'm not mistaken, she didn't take too kindly to the joke." He laughed. "Good times, good times."

McGee moved closer, laughing with him. "And when Gibbs almost caught you with Jeanne, and thought you were dating that girl from the Cyber Crimes unit..."

Tony finished his sentence: "And Gibbs spent twenty minutes lecturing me on Rule 12." They chuckled for a bit, then fell silent. But it was a good silence, not an akward one. Tony found himself thinking, something that amazed him in its own right. This... thing that he had with McGee. It was the kind of relationship that was ingrained in his soul. The kind that was so deep that he would feel lost without it. Sighing, he leaned back, causing McGee to look at him funny. Tony decided to risk everything; McGee was worth it. Reaching out and taking McGee's hand, Tony looked him square in the eyes and said, "Tim, I-" McGee cut him off with a small kiss. Tony was incredibly surprised, but chuckled to himself and kissed McGee back, square on the lips, nibbling on his bottom lip with his teeth. They pulled apart, then just sat there, holding hands, not needing to say anything. And Tony finally understood. What he'd had with Jeanne was the kind of love that burns swift and hot and hurts like hell when it's over; not like what McGee was offering – smoldering and deep and so ingrained that if he ever lost it, lost this, that would be something he could never forget, not in a million years.


	6. Chapter 6 Weakness

#16: Weakness.

"Gibbs knows his team forward and back – he has to – knows their strengths and knows their weaknesses: Ziva's weakness is in her strength, in not knowing when it's time to give up and McGee's weakness is not knowing how strong he really is; Tony's weakness is Tim."

McGee rubbed his eyes and looked up, expecting to find Tony once more at his desk, another round of teasing coming up. But instead, he found Ziva leaning over, a mere foot from his face. She started pestering him, her voice teasing and full of curiosity.

"What were you and Tony doing here after dark last night together? Is it something which I should be aware of?"

McGee blushed, looking away, at his desk, at the wall- anywhere but into her eyes. "No, Ziva."

"Are you sure? I seem to remember some quite intriguing moments between the two of you which could be described as, perhaps, a bit more than yellow light," Ziva pressed on.

"Ziva. No. Now, I have work to do. Please go away."

"I am quite certain that there is something you are not telling me. What is it?"

"Nothing, Ziva." McGee was getting a bit more angry now, just short of lashing out.

"McGee. I have seen the way you look at Tony, the way you talk to him-"

McGee couldn't take it anymore, and somehow, his fist found its way towards Ziva. Of course, she caught it, lashing out with her own and hitting him square in the face. Recoiling, Ziva said quickly, "McGee, I am sorry," and ran off down the hallway, her eyes flashing with guilt and pain. Only then did Tony notice McGee writhing in pain on the floor, his nose probably broken and blood spraying everywhere. Gasping, Tony picked McGee up with seemingly inhuman strength, carrying him downstairs and to Ducky, who promptly put him in a nose-cast. What neither of them noticed is how Tony disappeared for a couple of minutes, or how Ziva came back to work the following day with a cast on her arm, glaring at Tony.

Ducky released McGee officially into the care of Tony. Driving home took Tony 20 minutes less than usual, seeing as how he was going 120 miles an hour. Opening the front door, he led McGee through without a thought to how it was his house that he was leading his crush into. Sitting down on the couch, he ran a hand over his face, sighing deeply. McGee, like always, seemed to know what he needed, wrapping his arms around Tony and placing his head on the agent's shoulder. Tony relaxed into the embrace, sighing again. Only this time, it was a happy sigh, a content one. A moot thought crossed his mind: McGee was the hurt one. Why did he need the comfort? He was quite comfortable, though, being like this, being with McGee. Softly, he muttered, "I love you, Tim." And as he fell into peaceful sleep, he could have sworn he heard a mumbled, "Love you too, Tony."


	7. Chapter 7 Wind

#19. Wind

"The wind whips at his suit jacket as he hangs off the edge of the parking garage and Tim's voice is the closest he's ever come to hearing the voice of God; later on McGee will insist that Tony was hanging from the inside of a parking garage, so there really wasn't any wind, but he just looks smug and doesn't try to argue when Tony insists that McGee's still his hero, even if McGee's version of the story is farfetched and obviously mostly fabricated to make himself look better."

The howling wind tore at the seams of Tony's jacket. Screaming his head off, he held on for dear life. Yelling out names – Gibbs, Ziva, dear god, even McGee would do! He knew he was going to die, and that screaming wouldn't help, but he went on. Finally, when his fingers seemed to slip down, and he was 3 seconds from falling, he felt warm hands wrap around his own and a seemingly superhuman force lifted his now-limp body from the rim of the parking garage. Enveloping Tony in his arms, McGee held the other agent close to him. Sniffling, Tony held on tightly, not daring to let go.

Gibbs came running towards them, but on seeing the content, if a bit too cutesy for his taste, position of his two field agents, immediately reversed directions and went off to find some killer or another. Tony and McGee stood there, pressed together, for what seemed like a lifetime, but was, indeed, only a couple of minutes. Lifting up his chin to look at McGee, Tony pressed a gentle kiss to the other's jawbone. A low, quiet whisper resounded across the parking garage. "Thank you, Tim." McGee's chest shook a little with a suppressed chuckle. Instead of letting go, however, he reached down, took Tony's face in his hands, and pressed his lips onto the other agent's. Tony used to think that kissing women was amazing. Until McGee ran his tongue over Tony's lips and gently nibbled on the bottom one. A low moan arose, and for the life of them, neither could figure out who it had come from. Not that it mattered, really. McGee was now Tony's property, and Tony intended on using that to his full advantage. Walking away from the rim of the garage, Tony took McGee's hand into his own, intertwining their fingers. A smile crept its way up both of their faces as they strolled slowly away.

Later, Tim would deny that Tony was in any real danger, but he still smiled when Tony said that Tim was his hero, wrapping his arms around the man from behind and resting his head on McGee's shoulder. "Obviously, though," Tony added, "McGee's story was widely fabricated to make himself look better". McGee rolled his eyes, grinning.

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at them, quietly adding, "Rule 12 only applies at work, you know." Smiling as only Gibbs could, he walked away, leaving a joyous Tony to kiss McGee soundly on the lips, running his soft, smooth hands through the other's hair.


	8. Chapter 8 Jealousy

#22 – Jealousy

"He knows it's stupid, knows there's nothing there between any of them, between Tim and Abby, between him and Tim, but he can't help snapping at her when she strings McGee along like he's still her little puppy; He brings her a CafPow later to make up for it, and she shoots him a knowing grin through an unnecessarily loud slurp that is almost as disconcerting as the earlier flash of jealousy."

Tony and McGee stood in Abby's lab, being ordered around by her as always. There were heaps upon heaps upon heaps of evidence, so much that Gibbs had sent both agents to help. Tony got all the hard work, of course, while McGee was left to laugh and talk with Abby. Tony didn't feel exactly jealous, but he came damn close. Why did Abby get to hug him and make him smile and laugh while all Tony got to do was occasionally get a nod of recognition from McGee? Well, of course there was nothing between them, but it was the principle of the thing, wasn't it? He glared at Abby subconsciously, causing McGee to glare at him, in turn. Tony at once admonished himself, telling himself that it was not Abby's fault in the slightest that McGee favored her over him. He thought back again to the lonely nights he spent in his room, watching and re-watching old movies. How could McGee ever want that? How could anyone? He was stupid for even thinking for a second that in some corner of the universe there was even the slightest possibility that they could ever have a hope of being together. But the heart wants what the heart wants...

A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Tony, Gibbs wants us upstairs." McGee practically dragged him from the room, earning them a very strange look from Abby. Somehow, Tony did not think they were going to see Gibbs. Indeed, as soon as they were in the elevator, McGee flicked the 'off' switch, turning on Tony. "What the hell were you thinking, Tony? Do you know how much you hurt Abby, snapping at her and looking at her like that? She's not a dog, she won't love you unconditionally, she has to be cared for. And she's Abby, Tony. She loves you! How could you even think of doing that to her?" McGee finished his rant, taking his time to catch his breath before punching Tony in the face. Tony didn't flinch, didn't get mad, just stood there and took the punch as fair punishment. It really was terribly mean of him. He didn't mean it, she was just... hogging McGee! McGee seemed amazed at Tony's unwillingness to fight back. Looking at the sad, pennant expression on his partner's face, he calmed down, adopting a worried expression himself. "Tony... what's wrong?"

"Do you really want to know what's wrong, McGee?" Not waiting for an answer, Tony rambled on. "I don't hate Abby, I love her with all my heart. But I snapped at her because of how you treat her, how you're always around her and because..." his voice was a mere whisper now, "because I'm jealous of her." He looked up at McGee, obviously expecting to find rejection and repulsion in his face, but instead, McGee's gentle eyes told him that it was alright. As if that weren't confirmation enough, McGee took Tony's face into his hands and planted a kiss on his tender lips. It wasn't a passionate kiss, just a soft, loving one, careful and sweet and not demanding at all, everything that Tony had ever wanted. "I'm sorry, Tim," Tony said, touching his forehead to his partner's. McGee chuckled. "It's okay, Tony. Just go apologize to Abby, will you? And I promise I'll spend more time around you and follow you around. How's that?" Both men gave way to giant grins as they intertwined their fingers and flipped the elevator back on.

Later that day, Tony strolled into the lab with a Caf-Pow in one hand and a bouquet of black roses in the other. "I'm sorry, Abby. I honestly wasn't mad at you, I-" Abby silenced him by placing a finger to his lips, a finger which he indubiously tried to bite. "I know, Tony. I know. But thanks for the Caf-Pow anyways." She grinned, winked at the startled agent, and grabbed the Caf-Pow from his hand, leaving Tony to wonder if this was, indeed, all an elaborate ruse. But it couldn't be, could it? His Probie wasn't evil enough... Gods, he loved calling him his Probie. It made everything better, including the vivid daydreams...

McGee ducked out of the corridor, grinning to himself. The plan had, of course, worked. Abby was right, Tony was a sucker for emotional scenes.


	9. Chapter 9 Hands

#23 – Hands

"McGee has the softest damn hands, and Tony has to work hard not to think about what they'd feel like in place of his own, works hard to picture manicured nails and pretty jewelry instead; Failure's never felt so sweet."

Tony groaned, frustrated with himself. He'd been out of it all day, thinking about McGee again. More than usual, that was. Those eyes, so full of knowledge and acceptance, and yet fear of being not good enough. That was laughable, though. McGee, not good enough? It was Tony who should feel that way, he thought. But it was no use even thinking about McGee, his eyes, his lips, and god those hands. McGee had shown many times that he wasn't interested in Tony, the man was pretty adamant about it.

A note landed on his desk. He assumed it was from Ziva, because she was the one staring him down from her desk while glancing pointedly at the missive. It read simply, "He likes you. Ask him." Tony feigned a puzzled look, gazing up at Ziva innocently. His heart was racing, though. She knew. How could she know? Oh, yeah, she's Ziva. No, duh, she knew. Would she tell? Gibbs had that rule... What was it again? 12? Yeah. No dating coworkers. He'd long petitioned for that particular one to be removed, but Gibbs never listened to what he said.

So why should I, Tony thought, standing up and brushing himself off. He beckoned to McGee to follow him, using Gibbs's elevator-office, and feeling vaguely like he was disturbing a temple or something. McGee's hand reached up to touch Tony's arm, and Tony blushed. He blushed. He hadn't done that since he was eighteen! But those hands. Tony looked up at McGee, whose worried face matched his own.

"So," Tony put forth.

"So..." McGee replied.

"Tim, I like you." The words didn't seem to care whether Tony wanted them to come out or not. He closed his mouth, eyes widening, and took a step back. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Shut. up." McGee took the initiative and stepped forward, resting his hand on Tony's cheek. "Shut up and kiss me, goddammit."

That he did. Their lips softly touched, testing the waters. Leaning into it, McGee opened his mouth a bit, nibbling on Tony's bottom lip. Tony reciprocated by running his tongue along McGee's lips, begging for entry. McGee elicited a moan that made all the years of waiting worth it. His beautiful hands, soft and gentle, caressed Tony's face, reminding the man why he'd fallen in love with the younger agent. Pulling apart and gasping for air, Tony grinned lazily, flipping the lever in the elevator and kissing McGee's cheek softly. A hand wrapped around his, quickly squeezing and letting go just as the doors opened and a knowing Ziva greeted them. Gibbs was more mad about them using his elevator-office than about the two agents being gone and returning flushed, with grins on their respective faces. He exchanged a glance with McGee, who winked at him behind Gibbs's back. He'd totally failed at distancing himself from McGee and his amazingly beautiful hands, but failure had never felt so sweet. A grin tore all of the remaining thoughts from his mind as he counted the seconds till they got off work, the seconds till McGee- no, Tim, would be his again.


	10. Chapter 10 Forever

**#26: Forever**

**Tony doesn't know when spending forever without someone became scarier than spending forever with the same person.**

He stood at the foot of the hospital bed, his head hung low, a single tear slowly trailing down his solemn face. He remembered that afternoon, the alley they'd ducked into to avoid the suspect, that frightful instant where the single shot flew at them… He hadn't been fast enough to save McGee; the bullet had gone through his chest, some odd inches above his heart. He died that day, seeing his partner, his friend lying on the ground, gasping for air, trying to be brave. Time stopped. The seconds, the minutes… they flew by, yet dragged on forever. He was lost without McGee, he couldn't bear it. But he needed to be strong, for Tim and for the rest of them.

He moved to Tim's side, placing his hand on the younger man's cool forehead. He didn't know how it happened, how spending forever without someone became scarier than spending forever with the same person. All he knew was the pang that shot through his heart every time he looked at Tim's soft, still face. He sighed, almost shaking now. He'd have to resign. Kate's death was hard, but he got through it. He couldn't take looking at Tim's desk, every day…

The body below him trembled, mumbled unintelligibly, slowly opened his eyes. The older man started, too shocked for words for once in his life. A slow smile crept across his face as his eyes as their gazes met. That look, the one that passed between them, said everything; he'd never be alone, because they were forever, nothing could break them apart. Tony knelt down, pressing his lips softly only Tim's forehead, and chuckled. Tim was always the exception to the rule.


End file.
